DPS Says It's ID'd "Persons of Interest" in Governor's Mansion Arson

The seemingly unbreakable case of the 2008 arson at the Governor's Mansion may be a step closer to being solved. Or maybe not.

DPS has just announced they have "a person of interest" in the case and are offering a $50,000 reward for him.

Also, they're blaming GOP-hating anarchists.

The agency says long and difficult examination of various security-cam tapes from downtown Austin pinpointed a white Jeep Cherokee whose occupants were taking pictures of the mansion about 2 a.m. four days before the fire.

"There were more than 3,000 similar Jeeps registered in Texas, but through a process of elimination investigators were able to locate the specific vehicle in question and its owner, who admitted to driving the vehicle while the photos of the Mansion were being taken," the agency says. "The driver, now considered a person of interest, also revealed to investigators the identities of two people who were riding in the vehicle with him that night."

Now they need to talk to the guy again, and his passengers.

"One passenger initially denied having been in the vehicle, but later admitted to having been in the vehicle and taking photographs after failing a polygraph examination," the agency said. "All three persons have denied involvement in the arson of the mansion. At least one of the persons of interest has been placed in the downtown area the morning of the mansion fire."

DPS also said, "Investigators have also established a direct link from the persons of interest to an Austin-based anarchist group that was linked to a planned attack on the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis in September 2008, which involved Molotov cocktails."